Become an LED Lighting and Controls
Expert
Ethan Biery
Lutron Electronics
September 12, 2014
8:00am – 9:30am
Agenda
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Background
Challenges of controlling LEDs
Lutron product solutions
Tools and resources
Questions
So what’s the problem?
LEDs are like a box of chocolates…
…you never know what you’re going to get!
Why do customers want LEDs?
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Saves energy
Long lasting
Environmentally friendly
Elegant form factors
New functionality (color!)
“Everybody’s doing it”
Why are LEDs “hard”?
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New market players
Technology is changing rapidly
Products are more complicated
Compatibility is not assured
LED lamps are different than incandescent lamps!
≠
Terms: Color rendering index (CRI)
• CRI describes how well
(accurately) a light source
shows color compared to a
known reference light source
• Tested against a standardized
color swatch set
• Higher is better, 100 is best
– LEDs:
typically >80 (>95 is available)
– Sunlight / incandescent lamps:
100 (maximum)
Photo: Javier Ten, RPI Lighting Research Center
Fair
50-60 CRI
Standard Fluorescent
60-70 CRI
Premium HPS
Standard Metal Halide
Better
70-80 CRI
Thin-coat Tri-Phospher Fluorescent
Best
80-90 CRI
White HPS
Warm Metal Halide
Thick-Coat Tri-Phospher Fluorescent
90-100 CRI
High CRI Fluorescent
Incandescent and Halogen
Terms: Correlated color temperature (CCT)
• The color emitted from a
heated “black body”
radiator
• Higher temperature =
cooler color (bluer)
• Low temperature =
warmer color (redder)
• Measured in degrees
Kelvin (K)
– LEDs: 2200K - 6000K+
– All tungsten: 2700K*
– All halogen: 3000K*
* Warms (lower CCT) when dimmed
10,000 K
Blue sky: 10,000-20,000 K
9,000 K
8,000 K
7,000 K
Overcast sky: 6,000 – 7,500 K
6,000 K
Daylight (sun & sky): 5,500 – 6,500 K
5,000 K
Direct sunlight at noon: 5,000 – 5,400 K
4,000 K
Cool white fluorescent: 4,200 K
3,000 K
Halogen: 3,000 K
Tungsten Incandescent: 2,700 K
2,000 K
1,000 K
Sunset/Sunrise: 2,000 K
Anatomy of an LED system: Fixture
Dimmer
Driver
Optics
LED Module
Determines
compatibility
and
ergonomics
Determines
compatibility
AND best
possible
dimming
performance
Determines
beam spread
Determines light
quality
Anatomy of an LED system: Lamp
Dimmer
Driver
Optics
LED Module
Determines
compatibility
and
ergonomics
Determines
compatibility
AND best
possible
dimming
performance
Determines
beam spread
Determines light
quality
Why drivers matter
If you only remember two things…
1. The LED driver design determines the best possible
dimming performance
 Dimming range (non-dim, 20%, 10%, 1%...)
 Dimming curve (linear, logarithmic, monotonic…)
 Dimming smoothness
2. The compatibility between the LED driver and the
control determines to what degree the driver can
deliver upon its designed performance
 The wrong dimmer will make a great driver dim poorly
 Even a perfect dimmer can’t make up for a bad driver
Having a reliable driver will eliminate the common concerns of
LED lighting (flicker, loading, dimming performance…)
Steps to a successful LED dimming installation
Ideally:
1. Determine the dimming range needed by the application
2. Select whether an LED lamp or LED fixture is appropriate
3. Choose the appropriate control type
4. Confirm maximum/minimum number of loads on the control
5. Adjust trims and load types as necessary
1. Determine the dimming range needed
Measured vs. Perceived
• Measured light: the amount
of light as shown on a light
meter
• Perceived light: the amount
of light that your eye
interprets due to dilation
• Example: 20% measured =
45% perceived
• Different applications have
different low-end needs
• Different LEDs have different
low end light levels
2. Select an LED lamp or LED fixture
LED Lamps (LEDis)
• Designed to replace/retrofit
standard incandescent or
screw-in CFL bulbs
• Standard Edison (E26) base
sockets, as well as
candelabra & MR16
• Integral drivers determine
dimming performance (if
dimmable)
• Easy to install, generally
lowest cost
LED Fixtures
• Variable in purpose (cove
lights, down lights, 2x2, etc.)
• Usually have an external
driver, selected by the OEM
and mounted as part of the
fixture housing
• OEMs may offer different
control technologies (dim vs.
non-dim, 0-10V vs. DALI)
• Sleek and elegant, precise
optical control
3. Choose the appropriate control type
• Control type refers to the signal and wiring between the
wall control and fixture / lamp
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Lamps generally use only forward/reverse phase control
Fixtures can use any method
The LED and control MUST be of the same control type!
• Control options
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Forward Phase
Reverse Phase
3 Wire
DMX 512
0-10V
EcoSystem
Control type summary
• Forward Phase
– Most common dimming method (150 million dimmers in use)
– Designed for resistive (incandescent, halogen) or magnetic lowvoltage (MLV) loads; not originally intended for LEDs
– Performance issues possible on existing dimmers
Hot
Dimmed
Hot
Neutral
0
90
180
270
360
Applicable LED-rated Controls
Caseta
RadioRA 2
HomeWorks QS
PD-6WCL, PD-3PCL
RRT-G25LW, RRD-6NA,
RRD-6CL, RRD-10ND
HWQS-6NA, HWQS-6CL,
HWQS-10ND
Control type summary
• Reverse Phase
– Typically used for ELV loads, sometimes perform better with LEDs
(or select LEDs may require reverse-phase)
– Smaller installed base, always require a neutral wire
Dimmed
Hot
Hot
00
90
90
180
180
270
270
360
360
Neutral
Applicable LED-rated Controls
Caseta
N/A
RadioRA 2
RRD-6NA
HomeWorks QS
HWQS-6NA, 4A Panel Module
Control type summary
• 3 Wire
– Fluorescent standard, control signal carried separate from power
– Precise, less prone to noise, but requires a third line voltage wire
Hot
Switched Hot (power)
Dimmed Hot
(signal)
AC Power
Neutral
Applicable LED-rated Controls
Caseta
N/A
RadioRA 2
RRD-F6AN
HomeWorks QS
HWV-FDB-8A
Control type summary
• DMX-512
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Popular in theater applications & RGB LED control
Multiple channels for individual color control
Possible to use for single color general applications
Complicated wiring for general illumination
Often requires an interface and more complex programming and
installation
Applicable LED-rated Controls
Caseta
N/A
RadioRA 2
N/A
HomeWorks QS
LUT-DMX
Control type summary
• 0-10V
– Analog control standard, low voltage (simplified wiring)
– IEC standard exists for general illumination, not always followed
(alternate incompatible standard also exists)
– Requires low voltage output AND line voltage switching
– Often require an interface
Switched Hot (power)
Hot
0-10V +/AC Power
Neutral
Applicable LED-rated Controls
Caseta
RadioRA 2
HomeWorks QS
GRX-TVI Interface
GRX-TVI Interface,
0-10V PowPak
GRX-TVI Interface, 0-10V
PowPak, TVM2 Panel Module
Typical 0-10V system architecture
Only one control
device supported
per zone
All light sources receive the
same control signal
Control type summary
• EcoSystem
– Allows digital addressing of individual fixtures and status feedback
– Allows assignment to occupancy sensors, timeclocks and controls
to one or many fixtures without added wiring
– Based off of DALI IEC standard (with some manufacturer-specific
extensions)
Hot
EcoSystem
AC Power
Neutral
Applicable LED-rated Controls
Caseta
N/A
RadioRA 2
N/A
HomeWorks QS
Grafik Eye QS,
DIN Rail Power Module
0-10V vs. EcoSystem
Lutron EcoSystem
0-10V
Simple reprogramming
Re-circuiting and re-wiring
Polarity and topology
free wiring
Yes
No
Lights track together
Yes
May not over long wire runs
Automatic ballast
replacement
Yes
N/A
Guaranteed compatibility
controls + drivers
Yes
No
Extensive
No
Fixture by fixture
information
Generally circuit level information
(depends on amount of
control interfaces)
Re-zoning ability
Load feedback
BMS integration
Special case: MR16 lamps
• Huge issue for very popular MR16 lamps
• Two compatibility requirements
– LED lamp and step-down transformer
– Step-down transformer and dimmer
• Step-down transformer characteristics are often not known
(and not locatable) for retrofits
• Both magnetic and electronic transformers designed for LV
systems were typically designed for halogen (not LED)
loads
– Simply pairing an MLV dimmer with a magnetic transformer or
ELV dimmer with an electronic transformer does not guarantee
success with LED loads
Special case: MR16 lamps
• Both dimmer and step-down transformer (ELV or MLV) may
have minimum loading requirements
Minimum load and
compatibility requirements
both here and here
The right dimmer type (MLV/ELV) must be used AND
compatibility confirmed!
Control quick comparison
Control
Technology
Forward
Phase
Reverse
Phase
Type
Analog line voltage
Analog line voltage
Wiring
2:
Hot / Dimmed Hot
2:
Hot / Dimmed Hot
3: Hot /
Switched Hot /
Dimmed Hot
3-wire
Analog line voltage
EcoSystem
Digital low voltage
2: E1 / E2
DALI
Digital low voltage
2: D+ / D-
0-10V
Analog low voltage
2: +/-
DMX
Digital low voltage
2: D1 / D2
ClearConnect
Wireless
N/A
Notes
Most common type of dimmer installed
Typically requires a neutral wire
Originally developed for highperformance fluorescent dimming
Allows easy programming and zoning
changes after installation
Open standard, not always compatible
Open standard, performance difficult
to predict
Often used with theatrical or colorchanging fixtures
Available in limited products so far
4. Determine maximum & minimum loads
• Most new Lutron
dimmers have LEDspecific load ratings
and ratings for
mixed loads
• LED load power
ratings are LOWER
than incandescent
ratings
• LED dimmers have
low minimum loads
(e.g., 10W or one
lamp)
2 load ratings
5. Set load type and trim settings
• Default (incandescent) settings may not
provide smooth dimming performance on LED
loads
– Low end too low: dead travel, flicker, drop-out
– High end too high: dead travel
• Incorrect load type (for adaptive dimmers)
may provide unreliable operation
– Loads may operate differently on forward vs.
reverse phase
• See individual control instructions for setting
trim and load type
• See LED load specifications or compatibility
tables for recommended settings
Risk mitigation and best practices
• Understand product dimming performance in advance
– “Dims from 100%-0%” (what’s just before 0%?)
• Follow recommendations from fixture and/or control
manufacturer
– Beware: they may vary!
• Do mock-ups
– Use real amounts of load in real applications
• Develop trusted sources
– Who will support you if things don’t go as expected?
• Understand that installed legacy dimmers weren’t designed for
new LED loads – always use dimmers rated for LEDs
• System “tuning” may be needed
– Load type setting
– Low end / high end trim adjustment
Fixing dimming problems
• Often there are no good solutions
once products are installed
• Common “fixes”
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Change the LED load
Use a different driver (if possible)
Use a different control (with neutral?)
Add incandescent or dummy load
Add additional wires and/or interface
devices and/or minimum load box
• Who is responsible? Who pays?
• Compatibility must be determined
BEFORE products are ordered and
installed!
Product Solutions
Summary of different LED Product Solutions
Solution
Fixtures
Product
Caseta
RA 2
HW QS
Finiré
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Lumaris
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Aliante, L’ale, Rotare
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Hi-lume A-Series
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Drivers
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EcoSystem 5-Series
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Phase Adaptive Dimmer
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Grafik T
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C.L Dimmer
Phase
Control
Dimmers
Panel Dimming Modules
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Finiré by Ivalo LED Recessed Lighting
• 4” downlight, wall wash, and
adjustable luminaires
• Flicker-free dimming down to
1% with Lutron Hi-lume A-Series
LED Driver
• Guaranteed performance and
compatibility of fixture, driver, &
control
• Options include 2700K, 3000K,
or 3500K CCT; trim or trim-less;
IC rated or standard
• Industry best color consistency
and available 98 CRI
– Standard offering is 83 CRI
• Industry best 5 year warranty on
fixture, driver, and LED color
consistency
www.lutron.com/finire
Lumaris by Ivalo LED Linear Lighting
• Sleek LED system that provides
high-quality, uninterrupted lines
of LED illumination
• Flicker-free dimming down to %
via UL-listed Hi-lume A-Series
LED driver
– Driver can be remote mounted up
to 180’ away
• Now available in brown, silver or
black with clear or frosted lens
• 30° and 60° bracket options
available
• 95 CRI; 2700K or 3500K options
• Industry best 5 year warranty on
fixture, driver, and LED color
consistency
www.lutron.com/lumaris
LED pendant and sconces by Ivalo
• High-end pendant and
sconce fixtures now available
in LEDs
• Flicker-free dimming down to
1% with Lutron Hi-lume ASeries LED Driver
• Guaranteed performance
and compatibility of fixture,
driver, & control
• 95 CRI; 2700K or 3500K
options
• Industry best 5 year warranty
on fixture, driver, and LED
color consistency
C•L Controls
• Available in standalone, Caseta, RadioRA 2, and
HomeWorks QS varieties
• 2-wire (non-neutral) high-efficacy load dimmer
• Controls dimmable CFL, LED, and INC/HAL/MLV loads
designed for forward phase control
• Controls up to 150W of dimmable CFL/LED loads or 600W
of INC/HAL/MLV
• 10W minimum load or 1 LED bulb
• Adjustable low end trim
Hi-lume A-Series LED driver family
• Flexible platform with many options offering smooth,
continuous, addressable, 100%-1% dimming
• Versions available up to 53W maximum load
• Multiple dimmer control types
– Phase control (Caseta, RA2, HWQS) or digital EcoSystem (HWQS)
control options
• Various enclosure sizes, including UL Listed remote
mountable (ideal for tape light)
www.lutron.com/hilumeled
EcoSystem 5-Series LED driver family
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Built on the EcoSystem platform (HomeWorks QS only)
Provides smooth, flicker-free dimming from 100%-5%
A low price solution for high quality LED dimming
50,000 hour lifetime at worst-case conditions
Various current and power configurations for 5-75W fixtures
Can be remote mounted up to 50ft away from fixture
www.lutron.com/ecosystem5series
Phase adaptive controls
• Available in RadioRA 2 and HomeWorks QS varieties
• Controls incandescent, halogen, MLV, ELV & LED lighting
designed for forward or reverse phase control
• Up to 600W maximum load, requires a neutral wire
• Adjustable minimum load and default load type
• Minimum load: 5W or 1 LED bulb
Grafik T CL dimmer
• Neutral-optional, highefficacy load dimmer
• UL Listed to control:
– Up to 250W of compatible
CFL/LED loads
– 600W of INC/HAL
– 300 VA MLV
– Up to 8 Lutron A-Series LED
drivers
• Minimum load varies
based on application (as
low as 5W or 1 LED lamp)
• Adjustable low-end trim
www.lutron.com/GrafikT
Tools and Resources
Summary of tools and resources
Tool
Description
Link
High Performance
Fixture List
List of fixtures available with
Lutron drivers
www.lutron.com/findafixture
Compatibility Lists
List of loads compatible with a
variety of controls
www.lutron.com/dimcflled
LED Product
Selection Tool
Report Cards on select LED
loads with detailed compatibility
information
www.lutron.com/ledtool
Whitepapers and
resources
Background information and
related links
www.lutron.com/leds
LED Center of
Excellence
Specially trained tech support
resources
leds@lutron.com
877-DIM-LED8
RadioRA 2 and HomeWorks compatible controls
www.lutron.com/dimcflled
LED Product Selection Tool
www.lutron.com/ledtool
LED Report Cards
Limitations to recommendations
• Lutron recommendations are tested with up to 150W of
load
• Only loads which perform well enough in most applications
on multiple dimmers have Report Cards
– For example, LEDs must dim to at least 20% measured light
• Only listed dimmers are approved; “similar” dimmers may
have different performance
– Check with the LED Center of Excellence with questions
• Lutron can only list solutions for products which are ULapproved for LED loads
High Performance LED Fixture Tool
• Lists fixtures from OEMs
that contain Lutron drivers
or EcoSystem technology
– Updated regularly
• Guaranteed dimming
performance and control
compatibility
• Hundreds of fixtures listed:
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Accent Lights
Coves
Downlights
Grazers
Pendants
Slots
Strips
Track
Linears
Sconces…
www.lutron.com/findafixture
Summary of solutions
More
Less
Risk Level
Untested products Untested; dimming performance
with drivers by
unknown or uncertain
others
Loads on
Compatibility
Lists or
LED Product
Report Cards
Lutron-tested compatibility and
confirmed dimming performance
Fixtures with
Lutron drivers
Lutron-guaranteed compatibility
and dimming performance
Ivalo fixtures
Lutron-guaranteed light quality,
compatibility, and dimming
performance
LED Control Center of Excellence
• A resource for you and your customers to get answers on
any LED control question, including:
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Compatibility lists
Tested/non-tested products
Whitepapers and presentations
Educational information to share with customers
• Ways to reach us:
– 1-877-DIM-LED8
– LEDs@lutron.com
– www.lutron.com/LED
Summary
• Using LED loads is not the same (not as easy!) as using
previous technologies
• Successful projects depend on selecting the proper load
and control early in the design process
• Understand that changing the load or the control may
impact performance
• Fixing dimming compatibility “in the field” is costly and time
consuming; LED-compatible controls should be selected
for all designs today, regardless of the load type initially
needed
Summary
• Lutron is the leader of controlling ANY light source,
including LEDs:
– Product innovation and performance
– Customer education and support
– Industry involvement and leadership
• Using Lutron products and resources simplifies the
selection of LED lighting fixtures and controls
– Use Lutron C•L products and drivers
– Follow recommendations from the LED Center of Excellence
• Lutron’s LED fixture, driver, and control solutions are
available to control hundreds of fixtures globally with known
performance and compatibility
Further questions…?